Anyway
by irislim
Summary: A short story of five times that word meant something special. Inspired by the scene in the tea house from the Netflix Anne series season 1. Cheers to Shirbert forever.


"Anyway," he says, like there's something unfinished - but can't be continued. His eyes are smoldering like every hero's should, and they see right through her.

It's like every story book she's ever read, all the best pages rolled into one - one living, breathing Gilbert Blythe. Sure, she said it first. But then he said it - and suddenly, all at once, 'anyway' has become her favorite word in the whole, entire universe.

"No, wait! I know him!" She shouts five minutes later when Jerry starts attacking him. She _almost_ catches Gilbert in her arms, shielding him. It's a good thing that he pulls away himself.

"Are you okay?"

She turns around, genuinely surprised that he's still there - touching her shoulder and being all kinds of caring. Jerry's the injured one. But, suddenly, she almost feels like there's a gaping, burning wound in her heart too.

"Just - take care of yourself," she says later when Gilbert has to go. It's not everything - no, saying everything on her mind would require another two hours of self-reflection and then another hour after that to put it all into words that are eloquent enough. It's not fair that she only sees him again when they're like this - standing on the verge of eternal separation.

She doesn't want it to be that way.

"Come home - someday," she adds before he moves. She doesn't even think about it. This is _home_ \- for her, for him.

"Yeah," the word sounds too casual when he says it, as if he doesn't realize the long string of broken promises he's actually adding to.

Then again, to be fair - and quite tragically - he probably really doesn't.

It takes an interrupting Jerry to get him to go - to get them to say goodbye. When Gilbert walks away, she tries to imagine what it's like when he comes back - probably a decorated sailer, or a _pirate_.

In the middle of a very wintery town, Anne smiles.

* * *

"Anyway," he says two years later, when there's no other way to end the conversation - because it's just really not advisable to stand in the snow any longer than they already have.

"Yeah - anyway," it's her turn to echo.

They've talked about so, _so_ much. They've talked about Matthew, about Marilla. They've talked about him, about her, about Diana and Billy and Jane and even Ruby. They've talked until there's really nothing left to say - and still feel like they've said nothing.

"It's nice to see you again," he says quietly. His hair is still curly, and his tan has only made him handsomer. The defined muscles on his arms and shoulders shout 'man,' not 'boy.'

She suddenly wonders how _she_ 's held up in _his_ eyes.

"Yeah - very," she says breathily. They smile at each other. The gate between them feels both looming and tiny. It didn't really make sense for him to show up at Green Gables. People don't drop by the middle of nowhere when they only have two days in town.

But she's not about to question it.

"Thank you," she says all of a sudden, before her mind catches up. Her right hand twitches. She stills it with the other one.

"For what?" He says and smiles and sighs and scoffs in one motion. Gilbert the young man is even more magnetic than Gilbert the boy.

"You kept your promise," she smiles while talking. She can't stop smiling, really. "You came back."

His grin grows even wider. Her heart is dancing in her chest.

"Not yet," he says, eyes smoldering again. "But someday - someday."

* * *

"And Phil is this _wonderful_ girl I've just met. Priscilla, of course, is Priscilla. And then there's Stella, who's finally done with Queen's. We talk about getting a place together, and seeing this one was just _perfect_. I wish - oh, I dearly wish - you could come visit. It would make the place _ever_ so much more wonderful." She's just pausing to breathe when she sees that twinkle - that little look in his eyes that tell her she's been talking too much, or too fast, again.

But she's not about to feel ashamed of it.

"Gilbert," she gushes, hands gripping his arm. "It's - it's just _perfect_ to see you here."

His smile, half shy and half sly, sends shivers straight to her heart.

"That's good to know, 'cause - " He laughs a little. "Because I might be here for a while."

"Here?"

"Yeah - I transferred to Redmond, just - you know, only for the last two years. It's nice to be - closer," he's talking softly, gently, "closer to home."

The tears that she swears were just in her throat climb quickly to her eyes. Standing there, alone while the crowds weave around them left and right, they don't say much - but they look, and they smile.

"Anyway - " she drifts off first.

"Yeah - anyway." His eyes do almost all of the talking.

She doesn't hold back this time - and launches herself straight into his arms for a long, happy hug.

"Welcome to Redmond, Gilbert." She smiles by his ear.

"Thank you," he says into her hair.

* * *

"I feel horrid about it, if the admission could save my soul at all," she laments. Even the pretty shades of Patty's Place's heavenly orchard can't cover her shame and guilt tonight. "I suppose I should comfort myself with the fact that he hadn't chosen to speak _after_ graduation."

"Right," Gilbert doesn't quite sound himself tonight. As thankful as she was for his company, Anne needs _much_ more from her trusted confidante and dearest childhood friend.

So she spins to face him squarely.

"Gilbert, do you think it was wrong of me to have given Roy so much false hope? I truly _did_ think I was in love with him. It wasn't just _him_ I was fooling."

Gilbert doesn't move - doesn't smile, doesn't talk.

Her impatient hands latch on to his arm. "Gilbert, did I - "

"You've broken his heart, Anne-girl." He sounds far more empathetic of Roy than he should at that moment. His soulful eyes turn to meet hers. Then, suddenly, she's falling - helplessly, groundlessly falling into an eternal abyss. "I can't say I don't feel for him."

She's not sure if she's supposed to agree.

"But hey." Gilbert's face softens a little, just in between manly and boyish. "I'm not exactly sad about it."

She's not sure what he means - sometimes, she feels like she doesn't really know him anymore.

But then he smiles at her, the way he does now - and she feels again as if she does.

"Gilbert - "

He doesn't let her finish. Or, maybe, he intended to - but found out too late that one can't talk and kiss at the same time. Kissing him back feels natural, like she's exactly where she should be. She doesn't think of where to place her hands, but they land on his cheek and chest anyway.

"Gilbert." She's breathless when they part, when his bottomless eyes meet hers again. "Gilbert, I - "

He smiles when she trails off. She's suddenly aware of how close they're sitting - of the way his hands cradle her arms and back. She realizes quickly that she doesn't mind.

"Anne - marry me, please." The plea in his voice and his eyes are one and the same.

Years of subtle glances and soft sensations build up to their own epiphany.

"Yes," she smiles and laughs and answers.

He pulls closer, forehead to hers. "Can't say I feel _too_ bad for Roy tonight."

She laughs, he laughs. They both laugh and smile and beam at each other. They talk, slightly, but are far more preoccupied with staring into each other's eyes.

"It's the birthday of our happiness," she whispers, hours later.

He nods, gazing back.

They stay exactly where they are, spellbound, for two whole minutes.

Anne clears her throat first. "Anyway - "

He promptly kisses any other words away.

* * *

She doesn't speak as much as she usually does. There's something special about today - something sacred, something new. Tonight, she's stepping into the house he's chosen for them - _just_ for them - no longer as Anne Shirley Cuthbert.

Tonight, she's Mrs. Anne Blythe.

"Oh, Gilbert!" She clutches his arm when they step onto the threshold. There is too much to know, too much to see, to feel. He's holding her in a instant, nose buried in her hair.

"Welcome home," he whispers. The years of travels and learning have earned him a voice deeper and warmer and kinder than any she had ever heard anywhere else before.

"Yes! Home!" She turns to face him and burrows her way against his chest, and in his heart. To leave Green Gables - her one true home had been _so_ difficult today.

Now, standing at the start of her new life - of a home and world she will have a hand in creating completely - her heart is bursting with affection and hope.

"Anne, queen of my heart and home." Her dashing groom kisses her brow. "We shall have a long, happy life here - a life I've waited for for years on end."

She nods passionately, eager to agree.

"You - you are all that I have and all that I am, my life blood itself is you." The starry-ness in his eyes can only be a reflection of hers. It was far too bright for one person.

They stand, lost in each other, at the entrance of their dreams for one, long, precious moment never again to be repeated.

"Anyway," he whispers softly. She smiles. "Shall we, my Anne?"

She feels the happiness down to her very toes. "Yes."

* * *

 _A/N: I think I watched that season finale moment way too many times when I wrote this. Sorry for such an abrupt entrance into this fandom. Let us hope together for Season 2, 3, until forever! I hope you liked this well enough to leave a review. Thank you for sharing my love for Anne!_


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